Diversity in America

As marketers’ focus shifts from Millennials to Gen Z, here’s something to keep in mind: close to half (48.9%) of all Americans under the age of 18 identify as a race or ethnicity other than non-Hispanic white alone. Indeed, the recent Census Bureau data we analyzed shows that the “majority-minority” threshold has already been crossed for children under 5, and is close to being crossed for those aged 5-13.

Overall, almost 4 in 10 Americans (38.7%) belong to a racial or ethnic group other than non-Hispanic white alone. These groups include Hispanics (the largest such group), African-Americans, Asian-Americans, American Indian, Native Hawaiian, and those with a combination of races and ethnicities. These latest figures are as of July 1, 2016.

Asian-Americans were once again the fastest-growing minority group in the US last year, marking the fifth consecutive year in which their population growth has outpaced that of Hispanic Americans.

However, Asian-Americans’ population growth rate of 3% was down from last year’s 3.4%.
The Hispanic population grew by a relatively smaller 2% (slightly below the previous year’s growth rate of 2.2%), while the black or African-American population was up by 1.2%.

As for the non-Hispanic white alone population, its increase of 5,000 people rendered its growth rate essentially flat, given the size of the population (198 million).

More Than 1 in 4 Children Under 14 Are of Hispanic Origin

Of the various race and ethnic groups, Hispanics remain the largest, with 17.8% of the US population being of Hispanic origin.

The Hispanic population is relatively younger than the US population at-large, such that it represents more than one-quarter of kids under 5 (25.8%) and ages 5-13 (25.2%). Americans of Hispanic origin likewise comprise more than one-fifth of American teens (23.1% of 14-17-year-olds) and young Millennials (21.7% of 18-24-year-olds).

By comparison, fewer than 1 in 8 Americans aged 65 and older are of Hispanic origin.

The size of the various race and ethnic groups as of July 1, 2016, were as follows:

Hispanic population (including all races): 57.5 million;

Black or African-American population: 46.8 million;

Asian population: 21.4 million;

American Indian and Alaska Native population: 6.7 million; and

Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population: 1.5 million.

The Median Age in the US is 38

The older population in the US (65+) continues to grow, with an effect on the median age of the population.

The Census Bureau reports that residents ages 65 and older numbered 49.2 million last year, up from 35 million in 2000.

The median age during that time period has also increased, climbing from 35.3 years on April 1, 2000 to 37.9 years on July 1, 2016.

The state with the highest median age last year was Maine (44.6), while Utah sported the lowest median age of 30.8.